


It’s a Dream-Like Hope

by h1lemon1oney



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Angst, Divorce, Feelings Realization, First Dates, Fluff, Hospitals, ITS NOT THAT BAD I SWEAR, I’ll add tags as we go, Love Letters, M/M, One Shot Collection, Serial Killers, Sunsets, Unrequited Love, every seventeen ship will be there, just a lot of unrequited love, major character death looks scary
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:55:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28237305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/h1lemon1oney/pseuds/h1lemon1oney
Summary: A collection of SVT one-shots for every ship - each chapter is based on a song!Updates twice a week.
Relationships: Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Hong Jisoo | Joshua, Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Jeon Wonwoo, Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi, Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Lee Jihoon | Woozi, Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Wen Jun Hui | Jun, Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Xu Ming Hao | The8, Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Yoon Jeonghan
Kudos: 14





	1. Pairings

(ꈍᴗꈍ)ε｀*)

⭃ Choi Seungcheol x Yoon Jeonghan ⥷

⭃ Choi Seungcheol x Hong Jisoo ⥷

⭃ Choi Seungcheol x Wen Junhui⥷

⭃ Choi Seungcheol x Kwon Soonyoung ⥷

⭃ Choi Seungcheol x Jeon Wonwoo ⥷

⭃ Choi Seungcheol x Lee Jihoon ⥷

⭃ Choi Seungcheol x Xu Minghao ⥷

⭃ Choi Seungcheol x Kim Mingyu ⥷

⭃ Choi Seungcheol x Lee Seokmin ⥷

⭃ Choi Seungcheol x Boo Seungkwan ⥷

⭃ Choi Seungcheol x Chwe Hansol ⥷

⭃ Choi Seungcheol x Lee Chan ⥷

₍ᐢ.⚇.ᐢ₎ ᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃

⭃ Yoon Jeonghan x Hong Jisoo ⥷

⭃ Yoon Jeonghan x Wen Junhui ⥷

⭃ Yoon Jeonghan x Kwon Soonyoung ⥷

⭃ Yoon Jeonghan x Jeon Wonwoo ⥷

⭃ Yoon Jeonghan x Lee Jihoon ⥷

⭃ Yoon Jeonghan x Xu Minghao ⥷

⭃ Yoon Jeonghan x Kim Mingyu ⥷

⭃ Yoon Jeonghan x Lee Seokmin ⥷

⭃ Yoon Jeonghan x Boo Seungkwan ⥷

⭃ Yoon Jeonghan x Chwe Hansol ⥷

⭃ Yoon Jeonghan x Lee Chan ⥷

✲ﾟ｡.(✿╹◡╹)ﾉ☆.｡₀:*ﾟ✲ﾟ*:₀｡

⭃ Hong Jisoo x Wen Junhui ⥷

⭃ Hong Jisoo x Kwon Soonyoung ⥷

⭃ Hong Jisoo x Jeon Wonwoo ⥷

⭃ Hong Jisoo x Lee Jihoon ⥷

⭃ Hong Jisoo x Xu Minghao ⥷

⭃ Hong Jisoo x Kim Mingyu ⥷

⭃ Hong Jisoo x Lee Seokmin ⥷

⭃ Hong Jisoo x Boo Seungkwan ⥷

⭃ Hong Jisoo x Chwe Hansol ⥷

⭃ Hong Jisoo x Lee Chan ⥷

.。･:*♡◟༼ຈ 3 ຈ༽◞⌒♡*:･。.

⭃ Wen Junhui x Kwon Soonyoung ⥷

⭃ Wen Junhui x Jeon Wonwoo ⥷

⭃ Wen Junhui x Lee Jihoon ⥷

⭃ Wen Junhui x Xu Minghao ⥷

⭃ Wen Junhui x Kim Mingyu ⥷

⭃ Wen Junhui x Lee Seokmin ⥷

⭃ Wen Junhui x Boo Seungkwan ⥷

⭃ Wen Junhui x Chwe Hansol ⥷

⭃ Wen Junhui x Lee Chan ⥷

{•••♡˚₊*(ˊo̶̶̷̤ .̫ o̴̶̷̤ˋ)*₊˚ ( *ˊᵕˋ)

⭃ Kwon Soonyoung x Jeon Wonwoo ⥷

⭃ Kwon Soonyoung x Lee Jihoon ⥷

⭃ Kwon Soonyoung x Xu Minghao ⥷

⭃ Kwon Soonyoung x Kim Mingyu ⥷

⭃ Kwon Soonyoung x Lee Seokmin ⥷

⭃ Kwon Soonyoung x Boo Seungkwan ⥷

⭃ Kwon Soonyoung x Chwe Hansol ⥷

⭃ Kwon Soonyoung x Lee Chan ⥷

✧･ﾟ:*ᴵ'ᵐ ᵇᵉᵃᵘᵗᶦᶠᵘˡ (ꈍ ꒳ ꈍ✿)*:･ﾟ✧*

⭃ Jeon Wonwoo x Lee Jihoon ⥷

⭃ Jeon Wonwoo x Xu Minghao ⥷

⭃ Jeon Wonwoo x Kim Mingyu ⥷

⭃ Jeon Wonwoo x Lee Seokmin ⥷

⭃ Jeon Wonwoo x Boo Seungkwan ⥷

⭃ Jeon Wonwoo x Chwe Hansol ⥷

⭃ Jeon Wonwoo x Lee Chan ⥷

-ˏˋ♡♡♡ ⑅✿*,(*'◕ω◕'*)+✿.*⑅ ♡♡♡ˊˎ

⭃ Lee Jihoon x Xu Minghao ⥷

⭃ Lee Jihoon x Kim Mingyu ⥷

⭃ Lee Jihoon x Lee Seokmin ⥷

⭃ Lee Jihoon x Boo Seungkwan ⥷

⭃ Lee Jihoon x Chwe Hansol ⥷

⭃ Lee Jihoon x Lee Chan ⥷

ｷﾀ━━━━｡ﾟ+.ヽ('∀'*)ﾉ ﾟ+.ﾟ━━━━!!

⭃ Xu Minghao x Kim Mingyu ⥷

⭃ Xu Minghao x Lee Seokmin ⥷

⭃ Xu Minghao x Boo Seungkwan ⥷

⭃ Xu Minghao x Chwe Hansol ⥷

⭃ Xu Minghao x Lee Chan ⥷

»»——⍟ ∩( ✧Д✧)∩

⭃ Kim Mingyu x Lee Seokmin ⥷

⭃ Kim Mingyu x Boo Seungkwan ⥷

⭃ Kim Mingyu x Chwe Hansol ⥷

⭃ Kim Mingyu x Lee Chan ⥷

°♡°(ꂧ ꁞ ꂧ)°♡°

⭃ Lee Seokmin x Boo Seungkwan ⥷

⭃ Lee Seokmin x Chwe Hansol ⥷

⭃ Lee Seokmin x Lee Chan ⥷

(❀˙˘˙)♡(˙˘˙❀) ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

⭃ Boo Seungkwan x Chwe Hansol ⥷

⭃ Boo Seungkwan x Lee Chan ⥷

তততততততততততヾ(⁍̴̆◡⁍̴̆。)ノ

⭃ Chwe Hansol x Lee Chan ⥷

✧･ﾟ:*ᴵ'ᵐ ᵇᵉᵃᵘᵗᶦᶠᵘˡ (ꈍ ꒳ ꈍ✿)*:･ﾟ✧*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! thank you so much for reading the fic ♡
> 
> i’d like to just mention that this fic is written by two people! 
> 
> honey is the one who does the planning & formatting for the chapters. they know a lot about svt! they’re the one mainly in charge of the wattpad account (go check it out!)
> 
> lemon is the one who does all the writing for the chapters. they have very limited knowledge on svt. they’re also the one in charge of the ao3 account! hi!
> 
> if u have any suggestions or changes please let us know!


	2. 아주 Nice | Choi Seungcheol x Yoon Jeonghan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> t/w: this chapter contains character death (though it’s mainly fluff!)

_"Jeonghan- um, this is going to be a strange question and I don't mind if you say no, but, um. Would you- do you want to go on a date this Saturday?" Seungcheol asked nervously, already feeling his face heat up._

_He had been meaning to ask that question for months; maybe even years. But it wasn't until now that he had worked up the courage. Ever since they first became friends, Seungcheol had found himself strangely attracted to Jeonghan - his angelic charms, beautiful voice, hypnotizing eyes, and overwhelming confidence - everything about Jeonghan seemed perfect._

_So when Jeonghan shot up with surprise from his slouched position on the sofa to look straight at Seungcheol with those gorgeous eyes of his, Seungcheol swears he feels as though he might drop dead right then and there._

_"A date?" Jeonghan repeats, the corners of his mouth raises up slowly, "With me?"_

_"Y-Yeah. But only if you want to!" Seungcheol exclaims. "Y-You can say no."_

_Seungcheol's face was flushed a deep red, and he couldn't even bring himself to look at the other boy's face._

_"Well, why not?" Jeonghan smiled, trying to maintain a calm attitude about it although his traitor of a heart was beating rapidly. "So, Saturday?"_

_"Y-Yeah, I'll pick you up!" Seungcheol replied, and already he starts to count down the seconds until the day._

✧ ─=≡Σ((( つ•̀ω•́)つo((*^▽^*))o

It's Saturday morning, and Seungcheol finds himself pacing around the room and nervously flicking through dozens of shirts and pants in his wardrobe, searching for the perfect outfit for his date with Jeonghan. Though he's not usually one to be picky about his appearance and clothing, he's gone through so many outfit combinations that it was almost dizzying. 

He finally decides on a simple black shirt and jeans, not wanting to take too much time. He takes a moment to prepare himself mentally, taking a deep breath before walking out into the living room.

The first thing he sees is Jeonghan lying face down on the sofa, and for a moment he panics thinking he was dead, but then Jeonghan shoots back up and smiles a smile so pretty Seungcheol's heart skips a beat.

"Ready to go?" Jeonghan asked, brushing a hand through his hair.

"Yeah," Seungcheol says, "Um, so, would you like to go get some ice-cream?"

"I'd love to." Jeonghan replies, and he clutches Seungcheol's hand in his own. 

The pair make their way to the ice-cream store nearby, hand in hand, and make their way up to the counter to order.

"Can we get a cherry jubilee and a vanilla cone please?" asks Jeonghan.

"Coming right up," answers the cashier, "A cherry jubilee and a vanilla ice creams for the two... friends."

"Boyfriends," Jeonghan corrects automatically, much to the dismay of Seungcheol.

"What?" the cashier asks, face scrunching up with a mixture of disgust and surprise on her face. "Even though you're both... Well, whatever, they'll be ready in a bit, so please take a seat."

Although she didn't complete the statement, it was clear what she was trying to imply. Seungcheol already knew he would run into people like that someday, but he didn't expect it to happen so soon.

"Excuse me, what did you mean by that?" Jeonghan asked, "Just because we're both boys doesn't mean we can't go out."

"Oh, I'm sorry." The cashier says, though she says it dramatically as though she doesn't really mean it. "I didn't mean to offend. But please, have a seat, your order will be out soon."

"J-Jeonghan, it's fine," Seungcheol begins, slightly tugging on Jeonghan's sleeve. "We're holding up the line."

"It's not fine," Jeonghan replies, "It's none of her business who we like, anyway."

Seungcheol practically drags Jeonghan away from the counter in hopes of not causing a scene, and although it was a bit embarrassing, he couldn't feel more grateful for how much Jeonghan cared about him.

"T-Thanks for standing up for us," Seungcheol mutters, fiddling slightly with his sleeves. "I appreciate it."

"It's no big deal." Jeonghan smiles in return.

The two sit in a comfortable silence for a while, and Seungcheol can't help but feel like the luckiest man in the world. It's not much, but just sitting with Jeonghan in a homophobic ice-cream shop was enough to make him feel like he was going to explode with joy.

Eventually, a waitress comes by and hands them their two ice-creams. The cones were decorated extravagantly and would surely taste just as good too. Seungcheol excitedly takes a bite, and the taste alone is almost enough for him to forgive the ice-cream place for hiring homophobic cashiers - key word, almost.

He ends up so lost in the taste he only notices Jeonghan's finger reaching to brush his lips when it makes contact.

"Ah, sorry." Jeonghan apologizes when Seungcheol jolts up in his chair at the sudden touch. "You just had some ice-cream there."

"It's fine. Thanks." says Seungcheol, though his raising heart rate proves it was anything but fine.

"You're so cute," Jeonghan laughs, and now Seungcheol is absolutely certain this man was going to be the death of him.

Seungcheol takes a huge bite and decides to just focus on eating his ice-cream - a pretty tough task, considering just across from him sat such an angel.

It's halfway through his own ice-cream when he realizes Jeonghan has some ice-cream on the edge of his lips, too. He debates just telling him or offering a napkin, but some part in him kind of wants to just get it off himself like Jeonghan had done to him. 

And he doesn't really know what got into him, but the next thing he knew, he was already reaching over to wipe it off.

"S-Sorry," Seungcheol says when Jeonghan looks at him with surprised eyes, "I guess you could consider it as revenge."

"Didn't know my future boyfriend would be so vindictive~" Jeonghan teases. 

The two keep joking and bantering as they finish their ice-creams before getting up to leave the shop.

And then, maybe it's because the cashier is standing right there and he kind of wants to annoy her a little and also maybe because Jeonghan's lips just look so kissable, but Seungcheol leans right over and presses his lips against the other boy's. It's short and sweet, and Jeonghan's lips taste just like his ice-cream.

They separate, and Seungcheol doesn't regret a thing at all. 

"Angel...," Seungcheol says, with the utmost love sparkling in his eyes.

They walk out of the store together, and Seungcheol is sure it was the best day of his life.

He's so sure, in fact, that he doesn't even notice when he walks straight onto the road. 

And then, crash.

His vision fades to black and he feels his body fly through the air, and he can hear a lot of screaming but it's all so muffled, like he was underwater. 

Seungcheol could remember his last moments were with Jeonghan, and in a way, he couldn't be happier.

( ⸝⸝•ᴗ•⸝⸝ )੭⁾⁾ (ד ྊ ד )

Jeonghan could only watch in horror as the love of his life, his Seungcheol, flung across the road. And at that moment, the only thing he could do was pray - really, really pray - that it was all just a nightmare and that he'd wake up soon with Seungcheol by his side. 

The cars all halted and people are yelling, but he could not focus on what they're saying because he's too busy running - running to Seungcheol, who lays weak on the road as blood pooled, shielding him from everyone else.

"No, no," Jeonghan whispers, "Cheol... Cheollie,"

He hears the sound of an ambulance coming, and he hears someone scream at him to get off the road, but he doesn't - he can't. He's glued to the spot, and he watches as the Seungcheol's breathing fades to nothing.

The paramedics have to tear him away - tear him away from his beloved Seungcheol.

♥︎*♡∞:｡.｡ I Love You Cheol｡.｡:∞♡*♥︎

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HN: Starting One-shot and Seungcheol died... It's gonna be a trend, huh? Anyways, there's nothing about death in Aju Nice but I included it anyway.
> 
> LM: this chapter was a lot of fun to write! hopefully the death wasn't too sudden but i tried my best :)


	3. 독 : Fear | Choi Seungcheol x Hong Jisoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> t/w: character death in this chapter, also mentions of murder & descriptions of corpses.

_Regret_

_Pain_

_Guilt_

_Fear_

It's pretty noisy - he can clearly hear the wind blow across his face, distant voices - and more importantly, Seungcheol's heavy breathing.

"Seungcheol." Jisoo only says. He really wasn't surprised at all that he had followed. "So you came."

"J-Jisoo..." Seungcheol calls out, "... Why did you do it? Ji, tell me, why?"

"Why wouldn't I, Seungcheol?" Jisoo answered, "They weren't important."

"You didn't answer the question. Why them, Jisoo?" Seungcheol asks. "Why not anyone else? Why them? Do you even know them Ji?"

There's an eerie silence between them - presumably as Jisoo tries to decide if he should tell the other boy the truth.

"Because... They were always talking to you, Seungcheol, you wouldn't understand - I couldn't just stand by and watch as they flirted with you like that!"

"...Flirt?" Seungcheol repeats. "But... That doesn't make sense, Jisoo... They - Lee Juhee? She didn't flirt with me; Hell, it wasn't even liked we ever even talked."

Jisoo almost scoffs at this. Of course, Seungcheol never noticed it, but it was so painfully obvious the girl had a thing for Seungcheol. Why else would she have bumped into him in the hallway on Monday? She clearly had ulterior motives or something - and it was exactly why she needed to disappear. 

And besides, she was so easy to trick, too. All he needed to do was ask her to come with him for something, and then just pull her into somewhere hidden. Away from the crowds, away from Seungcheol. It was almost like she was asking for it.

"It was for the best, Cheol." Jisoo explains. "You need to understand, I had too! All of them liked you or used to like you - like your exes. Aren't you glad they're gone?"

"Bu- Then, Minseo...? She's not even in our class, she's a year older! I've barely ever seen her in school...!" Seungcheol exclaims, taking a step towards the other.

Jisoo scoffs for real this time. Seungcheol really was oblivious. The girl had clearly stated she preferred younger boys, and guess who was a younger boy? Seungcheol. She was a threat, and so she needed to be eliminated.

She was even easier to kill.

"She likes younger boys." says Jisoo, voice unwavering. "I'm just trying to think of you, Seungcheol. I love you. I only want the best for you, Cheol, can't you see that?" A psychopathic smile snaked up to his face, erasing all gentleman-like features from the handsome boy.

Seungcheol feels his knees grow weaker and weaker, as his mind tried to process everything. Jisoo is coming towards him now, and though he thinks about turning around and running away, he can't bring himself to do it. 

"All 14 of them - I killed them for you," Jisoo says, his voice sickly sweet. "Aren't you glad?"

"Wait... 14...?" Seungcheol repeats, "The school... the police... but they only found 12, Jisoo, how come- "

"I got better at hiding the bodies, Cheol," Jisoo simply says, "But it's only a matter of time before they'll find them. But, when they do, I'll be long gone. With you,"

Seungcheol falls to his knees, and Jisoo follows. It's silent for a moment, except for the wind. He kept shaking his head lightly, his eyes are on the verge of tears.

"It doesn't matter anymore, Cheol," Jisoo whispers, grasping the other boy's hands in his own, "They'll catch me anyway. I'll kill myself here."

He leans forward, lips brushing against Seungcheol's ear.

"Won't you die with me?" he asks, fingers caressing Seungcheol's lips.

But Seungcheol is frozen, and he really doesn't know if he should shake his head or nod, so he just stays still.

A small crack attacked the cliff, and had led it crumble, and almost on time, the cliff begins to fall. Seungcheol could only remain still. All his senses had disappeared, fear had been replaced with hysteria. Seungcheol couldn't leave Jisoo after all. 

And the next thing he knew, they were falling. For a moment it was like in slow motion, the wind blowing against their faces. It's almost calming, in a way. And then splash.

The water was cold at first, bringing him back to his senses for a brief second - he focuses on holding Jisoo close, because he knows the other boy can't swim. He's not an especially great swimmer either, but he knows enough to stay afloat.

"Let me go, Cheol," Jisoo says between gulps of water, but he doesn't let go.

His lungs are screaming for air and he can barely breath as he flails in the water, but he still doesn't let go.

Though he's focusing all his strength onto holding onto Jisoo, it doesn't work, because he feels his hand getting pried away from Jisoo's as the waves force them apart, further and further until he can't hold on any longer and Jisoo fades away, waves crashing onto him until he disappears under the water.

He reaches his hand out, hoping to find Jisoo and pull him back up, but it's too late. It isn't long before his lungs feel like they're bursting and his vision fades to black, and that's the last thing he can remember. Jisoo's hand had disappeared, along with the owner.

ಥ_ʖಥᵇᵒᵒʰᵒᵒ ლ(ಥ益ಥლ)

Sangjun wanders in the abandoned school halls, searching for his classroom. He thinks he finally found the room and opens the door without paying much attention to the sign outside.

He realises it's the out-of-bounds storage room when a putrid, rotten smell hits him - but it's too late.

Corpses are strung from the ceiling, dried blood coating them and the floor in a dirty maroon, eyes dull and dirtied. Photos are stuck everywhere around the room, especially the walls - it almost looked like wallpaper. He's basically paralysed with fear, he notices the pictures are all of one person. It couldn't be anyone other than Choi Seungcheol. Though some of the photos are of him smiling towards the camera, he realises most of them are creepier pictures seemingly taken without Seungcheol's knowledge.

He screams.

_We're all poison_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HN: The fear references make no motherfcking sense.
> 
> LM: this chapter was a pain to write i hate it with a burning passion /hj


	4. Our Dawn Is Hotter Than Day | Choi Seungcheol x Wen Junhui

_Junhui has only just woken up when he hears a familiar ringtone coming from his phone._

_He takes a moment to wake himself up, before shifting over in the bed and rolling lazily towards it, trying hard to blink away his drowsiness. A quick glance over at the contact name reveals it's Seungcheol who's calling him._

_"Mm? Seungcheol?" He asks sleepily as he picks up the phone. "Did you need something?"_

_"Are you free later today?" Seungcheol just asks._

_"I... think so." Junhui replies. He's too lazy to think much into it, but he's sure he could always just free up some time. "Why do you ask?"_

_"Well, I was wondering if you'd want to go with me to see the sunset?" Seungcheol mentions, "I found a pretty place to watch it."_

_"Eh? The sunset?" Junhui questions, "Aren't those supposed to be romantic? Go with Hanna instead."_

_He can't help but feel a little flattered that Seungcheol asked him, though._

_"Ah, well I did ask her, but..." Seungcheol begins, "It turns out she's busy with work tonight, so she can't go."_

_Oh, Junhui thinks, So I'm the second choice._

_"That's too bad," Junhui simply says, "Send me the details or whatever later, then."_

_"Sure!" Seungcheol replies happily, "I'll see you there, okay?"_

ᕦ(ಥ_ಥ)ᕤ ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶

Junhui watches as the sky shifts from day to night - from bright blue to dull orange - and for a moment all is well as they sit in silence admiring the tranquil view. It really was a pretty place to watch a sunset, just like Seungcheol had said.

"It's pretty," Junhui simply states.

_Pretty like you_ , he wants to add, but he doesn't, because he knows he shouldn't because, well, they just weren't meant to be.

"Yeah," Seungcheol replies, "Really pretty."

"Too bad Hanna can't be here with you." Junhui mentions.

"I guess." Seungcheol says. "But it's fun with you too, you know."

Must be nice to be able to say things like that so easily, thinks Junhui.

The sunset reflects brilliantly back onto Seungcheol, illuminating his eyes and only adding to his natural beauty, and Junhui can't help but feel a slight twinge in his heart. The two of them are practically skin-to-skin, thanks to the coldness and also the fact they only thought to bring one tiny blanket. Though he's sure Seungcheol gave it no second thought, it only makes him more aware of the other boy's every movement - each breath he takes, each rise and dip of his chest - he notices it all. It's love, it's not creepy.

It would almost be nice if it wasn't for that little thought in the back of his head telling him there was no point in thinking that now, when Seungcheol was already taken.

"It's cold, though." Junhui adds, trying to distract himself from his own thoughts. "We should've brought a thicker blanket."

"We could always hold hands to warm up," jokes Seungcheol, smiling.

_No_ , says the voice in Junhui's head, _we shouldn't_. But the real Junhui just sits there for a moment, before clutching the other boy's hand tight and smiling back at him.

"Guess we could." Junhui says.

Just for a moment, he tells himself, I just want to enjoy it for a moment.

'A moment' lasts for much longer than a moment, but he doesn't complain.

The sky begins to change again, turning darker and darker until the stars start peeking out and the sun is barely visible. It seems to get even colder, but all Junhui really focuses on is the warmth of the other boy's hand.

"Should we just sleep in the car?" asks Seungcheol, "It's getting late and I can't be bothered driving back or anything."

"Probably." answers Junhui. He didn't really have much to do tomorrow, anyway. And maybe the fact Seungcheol would be there too was a little appealing, after all. "And then we can get up early tomorrow and watch the sunrise?"

He says it half-jokingly, not really expecting much from it, but Seungcheol nods happily in reply.

"Let's go, then." Seungcheol says, nudging Junhui a little with his elbow. "Sunrise happens pretty early, you know."

Junhui makes a noise of recognition and watches as Seungcheol shifts a little, before standing up. Their hands separate, and though Junhui knew it would happen eventually, he still struggles to hide his disappointment. The coldness creeps back up into Jun's skinny hands.

He stands up as well and grabs the blanket, before walking back towards the car. Though it was really cold outside, the inside of the car is a bit warmer, luckily.

"Your car is kind of cramped," Junhui mutters, trying to sit down in a comfortable position. "I've never slept in a car before."

"It's fine, isn't it?" Seungcheol says, "I'll just scoot over like this, and there'll be plenty of space."

Before he knew it, they were back to being shoulder to shoulder in the car, and like some kind of high school girl his heart skips a beat.

"Goodnight, then." Seungcheol says. 

Seungcheol falls asleep almost instantly - much quicker than Junhui, anyways, because he's too busy sitting there as his heartbeat races. He tries not to look at Seungcheol too much, but he looks so peaceful asleep and somehow, he looks really cute, and-

Junhui is only snapped out of his thoughts when Seungcheol's head plops onto Junhui's shoulder, still fast asleep. Junhui almost jumps out of his skin, but tries his hardest to stay still for the other boy's sake.

Not really knowing what else to do, he leans his head on top of Seungcheol's, kind of like some kind of pile, and sighs. 

"I love you, Cheol." He simply murmurs. He really hopes Seungcheol really is asleep, but that was something he'd worry about another day. For now, he only focuses on falling asleep as well, for in the morning he had a sunrise to watch, too.

Ｉ ∟ＯⅤ∈ Υ〇∪.....φ(｡･ω･｡ )

Junhui wakes up with a sharp, knife-like pain in his head. His first instinct was to look around for Cheol, but, he wasn't there. Instead, a note with extremely big, crooked letters was left:

_'Sorry Junnie, Hanna rang me and told me to come back. Her cat went missing somehow. I'm sorry for not being able to watch the sunrise with you!!! Could we watch it another time? Please? Love you!!'_

_It's fine_ , Jun sighs, _Another time._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HN: What a fun chapter... :3 AND no one died,,,,, nice. (Merry late Xmas! :3)
> 
> LM: this will be the peak of my writing honestly


	5. Fast Pace | Choi Seungcheol x Kwon Soonyoung

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im so sorry i forgot to upload this yesterday dhfhdhfjs

_Soonyoung bounces his leg as he sits on the couch, glancing at the clock and then back again at his phone._

_He knows he shouldn't be complaining because Seungcheol really is a hard-worker, but at the same time, he feels kind of neglected, too. He can't help it. He almost feels jealous of the work - because it's like Seungcheol spends all his time working, and not with him._

_But he also knows Seungcheol is doing it for them, so he tries not to think about it, and instead focuses on scrolling through Twitter, or watching some videos online._

_It's what he does for the next hour or so - when a familiar jingle of keys come and Seungcheol bursts through the door, looking disheveled and tired._

_"Ah, I'm really sorry Soonyoung," he begins immediately hanging his coat onto the coat hanger by the door, "Work was really tough today, so they asked me to do overtime. I'm sorry i'm late."_

_"It's fine!" Soonyoung says, "It's not your fault. And besides, you're home now, right? We can binge that show together, like we planned!"_

_But instead of agreeing and sitting down next to Soonyoung to watch the show like he had hoped, Seungcheol only shakes his head apologetically._

_"I'm really sorry, Soonyoung." he explains, "There's some documents I need to get done, and then I need to go to bed to get up early tomorrow morning for work."_

_"Oh." Soonyoung mumbles, disappointed. "That's... That's fine, Cheol! Just make sure not to overwork yourself, okay?"_

_"Yeah, of course." smiles Seungcheol, "You can watch it by yourself tomorrow, no need to wait for me."_

_**But that'd ruin the whole point,** thinks Soonyoung, **I want to watch it with you.**_

_He only nods, and watches as Seungcheol disappears into his room and towards the desk he spends hours at._

_**Next time,** he thinks._

**_Two hands together,_ **

**_There is no warmth at all_ **

**_But why can we not let each other go?_ **

_Eventually, their anniversary rolls around. And though they normally just celebrate with a movie night or just some flowers or something small, this year Soonyoung decides to do something grand. He finds a special meal to cook, decorates the house with candles and flowers, puts on a playlist of Seungcheol's favourite music - everything he can think of._

_He isn't the best cook ever, usually just sticking to instant foods or takeaway, so there's a mishap here or there while he makes dinner, but he still manages._

_Eventually, he stands back to admire his work. Naengmyeon, Japchae, Jokbal and KFC (mainly for himself) with a cup of soju. He's actually really proud of the meal he's cooked (and bought), and even remembers to buy some cherries beforehand for dessert._

_Just like last time, though, Seungcheol comes home much later than he had said. And so, almost pathetically, Soonyoung ends up eating his servings alone, before showering and heading to bed - yet still, Seungcheol wasn't home._

_He lays in bed waiting, and waiting, and waiting - he's still waiting when 9pm rolls around, when Seungcheol finally comes home._

_"Seungcheol! Welcome home!" Soonyoung excitedly says, "There's dinner on the table, I'll go reheat it for you!"_

_"Ah, thanks," Seungcheol replies, stumbling into the room, "I'll be out in a second."_

_Seungcheol doesn't even mention their anniversary, or seem to notice the flowers and candles, but Soonyoung doesn't really mind. He's too excited to get Seungcheol to try his dinner, and he goes to reheat it right away, and he hopes it'd still taste good. He waits impatiently for the ding of the microwave, before hurrying into Seungcheol's room to call him out for dinner, and-_

_Oh._

_Seungcheol's fast asleep on his desk, his computer still on and paperwork scattered on the table._

_He doesn't bother waking Seungcheol up, because it's clear he must've been really sleepy to have fallen asleep so quickly. Instead, he just drapes a blanket over Seungcheol's body and heads to the kitchen to put away the food._

_Soonyoung goes to bed, and Seungcheol's food remains untouched._

**_More and more we are walking,_ **

**_I do not want to deny it to a long tunnel._ **

_It's like that for the next month or so. Full of promises and apologies, and in the end it became clear Seungcheol had no time to spend with Soonyoung. And though he repeats to himself that he shouldn't blame Seungcheol for that, Soonyoung still finds himself upset when his partner doesn't turn up for the 4th plan that week._

_"I know I said I'd try to do something with you today," Seungcheol would say, "But there's some urgent paperwork I need to do. I'm so sorry, I'll try and get it done as fast as possible, Young."_

_And then he'd be gone for the next hours and by the time the work was all finished, it'd already be night._

_So when one day, Seungcheol promises - really, truly promises - he'd turn up for a date, sometime on the weekend, perhaps, Soonyoung was overjoyed. He spent most of that day preparing; choosing an outfit, picking items to bring along, planning exactly where to go and when to go._

_But then that time rolled around, and somehow Seungcheol was still nowhere to be seen._

_**He'll be here any minute,** Soonyoung tells himself, **Work gets hectic.**_

_It goes on for another 15 minutes until he gets a chime on his phone._

_**Cheollie♡:** they asked me to do overtime again _

_**Cheollie♡:** soonyoung i am so so sorry but i don't know if i can make it today_

_**Cheollie♡:** i know i promised you but they really need me to do the work_

_**Cheollie♡:** please forgive me? ｡ﾟ(ﾟ'ω'ﾟ)ﾟ｡_

_Soonyoung takes a deep breath, and types out a reply._

_**Tiger♡:** yeah it's no problem!_

_**Tiger♡:** do your best ٩( 'ω' )و_

_Though the messages are light-hearted and playful, Soonyoung feels anything but that. Thoughts whirled in his head, but he tried to push those aside._

_**He sure has a lot of work to do,** Soonyoung thinks, **I hope he's doing alright.**_

_He spends the rest of that afternoon putting away his outfit and unpacking his bag, as well as vacuuming the house, and other tedious housework._

**_You and me who walked together_ **

**_I can not find it now,_ **

**_You walk so quickly._ **

_Then, one day, Seungcheol actually takes a day off work. Soonyoung watches as Seungcheol calls his workplace and asks for a day off, before turning around and grinning at the other boy and declaring it a date day._

_To be honest, Soonyoung is over the moon. He finally gets to spend some time with Seungcheol, something he'd been yearning for for months (maybe even years but he ignores that)._

_Seungcheol already has a plan in mind, even. The two rush over to a coffee shop nearby, and Seungcheol explains it's the one he always goes to in the morning._

_Soonyoung doesn't go to coffee shops much - they have a coffee machine at home, after all - so he takes a moment to look around. It's cozy, and has a really nice atmosphere._

_He lets Seungcheol do the ordering as he sits down, and within moments Seungcheol is back with the drinks._

_"Careful, it's hot," he warns, stirring his own coffee with a spoon. But it's too late, because Soonyoung had already taken a big gulp._

_He discovers on his own that it's hot, panicking for a bit before the heat cools off._

_Seungcheol laughs at him, and then he laughs at himself, and within moments they're both laughing together._

_And it's probably the first laugh they'd share in a while, and it's really, really nice._

_They drink their coffees together, as Seungcheol shares a bit about what his work is like, and Soonyoung listens. He listens, and he's happy to have a moment with Seungcheol._

_But then Seungcheol's phone rings. He doesn't think much of it at first, and just continues drinking his coffee as the other boy went outside to take the call._

_Until Seungcheol came back, now looking a bit more worried than before and apologising profusely before taking off._

_His work had called, and asked if he could come help. And of course, he had agreed._

_While Soonyoung always admired how Seungcheol never hesitated to help others, it still stung a little._

_He finishes his drink and leaves, Seungcheol's coffee still half-full._

**_It is awkward to meet each other,_ **

**_Your steps are getting faster, why?_ **

_Soonyoung eventually gets pretty used to Seungcheol's schedule - he always ends up working overtime and coming home late. So Soonyoung always tries to wake up early to pack Seungcheol lunches, and tries his hardest to cook dinner (even though he ends up eating dinner alone anyway)._

_And one day, Seungcheol doesn't come home at all. It's almost 11pm and he still isn't home, and despite the fact he usually came home pretty late, it was really unlike him to come home past 9. So naturally, Soonyoung panicked._

_He practically ran over to Seungcheol's workplace, bringing nothing but his keys and his phone._

_It's only when he gets there that he realises he can't really just waltz on in - even if he declares himself as one of the employees' spouse, it's not like he could prove it. And he doesn't even know if Seungcheol's coworkers know he's married to a boy. He doesn't want to risk exposing Seungcheol to any homophobia._

_Quietly, he ends up just standing by the wall, next to the door. Though he knows he shouldn't and he knows it isn't Seungcheol's fault, he ends up fighting back tears as he waits. And so, he waits._

_Another hour passes, and by now Soonyoung is squatted on the floor, leaning against the wall as he silently sobs._

_As he waits and waits, he stares at his hands, and the ring on his finger stares back at him, almost mockingly._

_He remembers how happy he was when they had gotten married. How delighted he was to have the ring slid onto his finger. How much he gushed about the ring, and how many hours he must've spent just staring at it. Yet now, he feels nothing when he looks at it._

_He loves Seungcheol, really, but he starts to think maybe they weren't meant for each other after all._

_He goes home eventually, and doesn't find out until morning that Seungcheol had fallen asleep at the office._

**_In the hand holding it together,_ **

**_I do not have warmth_ **

**_I have to let go._ **

_Seungcheol fiddles with his sleeves as he takes another sip from his coffee. Soonyoung sits across from him, doing the same._

_It's quiet, and he doesn't really know what to say._

_"Has... How has work been?" Soonyoung asks. He knows it's not the best conversation starter considering work was the reason they split, but he doesn't know what else to say._

_"It's been... busy." Seungcheol replies awkwardly._

_Seungcheol stares at Soonyoung for a moment, then back at his ringless fingers._

_He can't help but think about what could've been._

_"How about you, Soonyoung?" asks Seungcheol nervously, "Has... Has life been alright?"_

_"... Yeah, it has." Soonyoung answers. "I... I got hired by the company I was applying to, so it's been pretty good."_

_Seungcheol nods, and then they sit in another brief moment of silence as they sip on their coffees._

_"It's good coffee." Seungcheol says, in an attempt to start a conversation. "This is my favourite shop in town."_

_"I know." Soonyoung simply says, taking another sip. "We went here together, remember?"_

_"Oh." Seungcheol mumbles, "We did."_

_It's a good thing the coffee shop is full of people, because Seungcheol is sure the silence would've been suffocating if not for the background noise the other customers created._

_They sit there for a while, chatting about pointless things and making awkward small talk. Though there's definitely still some tension in the air, it seems to ease a bit as time passes._

_Still, though, they only talk for a bit, and soon they're already getting off to leave._

_Seungcheol can think of a million things he wishes to tell Soonyoung, countless apologies and more, though he says none. He watches as Soonyoung's back gets further and further away as he leaves._

_And so they part ways._

**_Far-away._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HN: I tried a different layout cause those cute emoticons weren't the right choice.
> 
> LM: i am so sleep deprived.. (and also the formatting didn’t transfer over when i pasted this and i had to go thru and manually format everything myself. why is god like this)


	6. Still Lonely | Choi Seungcheol x Jeon Wonwoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> someone dies in this chapter but it’s just mentioned

All Wonwoo can really feel is a painful pulse in his head, soreness plaguing his throat, and, in general, he just feels really terrible. 

Well, it's to be expected after all, since he's in a hospital. The walls are the whitest shade of white he had ever seen, the room littered with medical supplies, and honestly, the room just reeks of medicine.

_I hate this place_ , Wonwoo sighs lightly. It's really boring, after all, since the only company he gets is his phone and the occasional nurse or two who come to check up on him - which isn't interesting at all, since they're old and quiet and are only interested in the medical things, not games, books, or movies. 

On the bright side, though, the bed is fairly comfortable and his room is in a nice position relative to the sun - he gets quite a pretty view, which helps him cheer up just a little bit. There's plenty of flowers growing outside too, all different colours and shapes.

"Jeon Wonwoo? You have a visitor." he hears a voice said, and he quickly recognises it as one of the nurses. 

For a moment he's a little confused, because nobody had visited him so far and even if they were to visit, they would've messaged him first anyway. But still, he just nods anyway.

"H-Hello?" another voice says, and this time is a male voice that Wonwoo's sure he's never heard before, "Wonton?"

"... I'm not Wonton." Wonwoo says, and he tries telling the nurse that as well, but she's already long gone. 

"You're not?" the mysterious man says, before looking around a little. "Oh, I'm sorry! The nurse told me you were..."

Wonwoo just remains quiet. 

"Um, but since I'm already here, would you mind if I stayed?" the man asked, "Just for a bit."

Nodding slightly, Wonwoo looks back out towards the window. He can hear some slight shuffling and the sound of a bag being placed onto the ground, and some metal clanking which he presumes is just the man sitting down.

"My name is Seungcheol, nice to meet you!" the man - no, Seungcheol - exclaims. "What's yours?"

"It's Wonwoo." he replies.

There's a brief silence, clearly as Seungcheol tries to think of a topic to talk about.

"Um, so... what are you here for?" he asks eventually, "If you want to say, that is!"

"... Personal reasons," Wonwoo answers, because he's not really comfortable with sharing all of that with someone he's just met, even if they seem like a nice person. "What about your friend? What was his name? Wonton?" 

"Oh, he- he had a heart attack." Seungcheol admits, "But, well, he's always had issues with his heart, so it's not really surprising."

"Oh." Wonwoo mumbles. "Sorry for asking."

"It's fine!" smiles Seungcheol, "But anyway, I was going to give this to Wonton, but there's lots, so you can have one too!"

Wonwoo watches as Seungcheol opens his bag and goes through it for a while, before pulling out a plastic container. It seems to have something inside, but he can't quite tell from this angle.

Seungcheol pries the container open and presents it to Wonwoo, and that's when he realises they're sandwiches. 

"For me?" he asks, looking again at Seungcheol.

"Yep! Um, they have meat though, so if you're vegetarian or something, you probably can't have them..." Seungcheol mentioned.

"No, it's fine." Wonwoo says. "I can eat meat."

Though he's not exactly hungry, he grabs one anyway and takes a bite. 

It's not bad, though it has shrimp in it. 

"Is it good?" asks Seungcheol, staring at Wonwoo as he eats. "I don't really cook often, so I don't know if they taste that good."

"They're fine." Wonwoo says between bites. "I don't cook much either."

Seungcheol smiles at that, before glancing at his watch.

"Oh! Sorry, Wonwoo!" he exclaims, "I need to go find Wonton... It was nice talking to you!"

And so, Seungcheol hurriedly grabbed his bags and left the room.

٩(*•͈ ꇴ •͈*)و ̑̑❀

It's only the next day when Wonwoo hears another knock on his door. At first he assumes it's just another nurse there to check on him or bring him food, so he yells out a quick "Come in!".

"Wonwoo! Hi!" comes a cheerful voice, clearly belonging to Seungcheol."How are you?"

"I'm... fine." Wonwoo says, "Why are you here?"

"To visit you, of course!" Seungcheol happily says, before sitting down onto the chair he had sat on last time. "If you're not busy, that is."

There isn't really much he could be busy with, unless staring out the window, getting tests done by nurses or scrolling through twitter counted.

"I'm not," Wonwoo replies, "But shouldn't you go see Wonton?"

"I'll go see him another day," explains Seungcheol, "You seem kind of lonely."

_That's harsh,_ thinks Wonwoo, but he appreciates it anyway.

(Sort of.)

"So! For today," Seungcheol begins, before opening his backpack just like he had done yesterday and searching for something. He quickly pulls out a big book and a bag of chips. "Tada! It seemed like there's not much to do in the hospital, so I thought the book might be kind of interesting, but if you don't want it, that's fine too!"

"Thanks." Wonwoo says, and reaches out to grab the book. It's a hardcover book which has a beautiful picture of a flower at the front, and some decorative flower engravings on the side.

"It's a book about all different types of flowers!" Seungcheol tells him, "Sorry if you don't find it interesting, but I noticed you were looking out the window when I first visited, so I thought you liked them!"

So attentive, Wonwoo thinks to himself, but he's grateful nonetheless.

"Flowers are nice," Wonwoo says, "Thank you,"

"I'm glad you like it!" exclaims Seungcheol, "So what's your favourite flower?"

"Chrysanthemums," answers Wonwoo, "I grew some back home, but since I've been away for a while, they might be dead."

"O-Oh. Sorry to hear," Seungcheol says. 

It's quiet for a bit longer as Wonwoo flips through the book, taking in the illustrations.

"Anyway, I should get going now," Seungcheol mutters, zipping up his bag and getting up.

"Bye, Seungcheol." Wonwoo says, giving a slight wave as he watches Seungcheol walk towards the door.

"See you tomorrow!" Seungcheol replies cheerfully.

It's only when Seungcheol has already left the room that Wonwoo realises he said 'tomorrow'.

_So he'll be coming back, huh?_ He thinks, and strangely enough, he's kind of glad. He brushes off the feeling and instead, returns to reading the book.

!(ෆ'∀'ෆ)!

Every time Seungcheol visits, it seems like he brings a new gift along. From balloons to chocolates, and books to movie recommendations, Wonwoo's days are now slightly less boring. They even exchange numbers so they could chat sometimes.

The nurses are glad he's getting such a frequent visitor, though they complain a little bit about the balloons blocking their way through the room.

But one day, suddenly, Seungcheol stops visiting. Wonwoo doesn't think much of it the first day - he's sure the other boy has his own things to do, after all - but it does feel a little lonely. It's only when he doesn't come the next day either that Wonwoo begins to worry.

He tries giving Seungcheol a call, but there's no reply, so all he can do is wait.

Seungcheol doesn't visit for the next few days either.

Though they've only known each other for a month or two, somehow, Wonwoo finds himself really missing Seungcheol. He missed their awkward conversations and the gifts and Seungcheol's smile and everything. It's a strange feeling, and one he can't really name.

The nurses notice Seungcheol's disappearance too, but still, they don't mention a thing to Wonwoo. He knows it's probably just him being paranoid, but it almost seems like they're hiding something from him.

And then, on one fateful day, one of the nurses brings in a box for him. It's just a plain cardboard box, so he's understandably confused for a while, until she explains it's for him.

"A package," she had explained, "addressed to you."

Of course, he opens it right away and peers inside.

He's greeted with flowers. To be specific, a bouquet of chrysanthemums - probably fake, but they're still nice - of all variety and colours. Purple, white, yellow, and red. It's a beautiful sight, and Wonwoo's amazed for a moment before he realises there's something under the bouquet. 

_So impractical,_ Wonwoo thought, smiling to himself. 

He reaches his hand into the box, and pulls out a big envelope decorated with stickers. The opening is sealed with a heart sticker, which he pulls off.

He opens the card, and he reads.

" ** _Dear Wonwoo,_**

****

**_How are you? I'm sorry this is so sudden and I hope this won't make things even more awkward between us or anything, but I have something to tell you._ **

****

****

**_I love you._ **

****

**_It's fine if you don't return the feelings! I don't expect you to. I know we haven't known each other for long but in that short time, I've realised I loved you._ **

****

**_I'm sorry I couldn't tell you this in person, but I'm just too much of a coward after all. I hope you like the flowers - they're fake, but I think they're still pretty!_ **

****

**_See you tomorrow,_ **

****

**_Seungcheol <3."_ **

Wonwoo doesn't even realise he's crying until a tear drops onto the letter. Honestly, he's not sure why he's crying, but it just happens. 

_I like you too,_ Wonwoo thinks, and though that thought has never even crossed his mind before then, it suddenly feels so right. _I love you too, Seungcheol, so please come back._

||Φ|(|ﾟ|∀|ﾟ|)|Φ||

The nurse returns eventually, handing Wonwoo a tray with food dishes atop. Wonwoo really hopes his eyes aren't red and puffy from crying, but he's sure they are. If the nurse notices, she doesn't mention it.

"Who was it from?" she asks, "The box, I mean."

"It was from Seungcheol," Wonwoo says in between bites, and he hates how his voice sounds a bit croaky. "The visitor who comes by often. Used to, anyway."

"Oh." the nurse just says. "That's lovely."

"... What happened to him, anyway..." mumbles Wonwoo under his breath. He doesn't think the nurse would know, of course, but he asks it anyway.

He really misses Seungcheol's presence, and he can't wait for him to visit again so he could say he got the flowers and the letter. He couldn't wait to tell Seungcheol that he loved him as well. He's not really sure what they'd do next, if they'd start dating or what, but he's sure they could figure it out.

"Wonwoo..." the nurse says, suddenly in a comforting tone. "About Seungcheol..."

"Hm?" Wonwoo replies, shovelling another bite into his mouth, "What about him?"

"Well, I don't- I don't want to upset you, because I know this is going to really, really hurt, but..."

"I'm in a hospital," Wonwoo laughs, "If it hurts, I'm sure you could do something about it."

The nurse just gives a sad smile, before looking straight into Wonwoo's eyes.

"Just a few days ago, a boy was admitted to this hospital." she begins, "Truck accident. He broke all his ribs, and... and he died."

"That's terrible," Wonwoo says, taking another bite of his food, "But how come you're telling me?"

"... Wonwoo, the boy was Seungcheol."

_And the world came crashing down._

(๑╹っ╹๑)

A/N

HN: Still Lonely's meaning and this fic has nothing in common. It was only inspired by the name... :3

LM: chrysanthemums are actually rlly pretty go check them out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HN: Still Lonely's meaning and this fic has nothing in common. It was only inspired by the name... :3  
> LM: chrysanthemums are actually rlly pretty go check them out


	7. Lie Again | Choi Seungcheol x Lee Jihoon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pls let me know if there’s any formatting errors;; i copy and paste chapters from wattpad over to ao3, and the formatting doesn’t stay

It all seems to start one that one day when Seungcheol invited him out for coffee.

  
"It's a new café!" Seungcheol had exclaimed excitedly, "Come try it with me!"

And, of course, since Jihoon had nothing better to do, he agreed.

(It definitely had nothing to do with the way he suddenly started smiling like some love-struct high school girl when Seungcheol asked him, absolutely not.)

And that's why, on a Saturday that Jihoon would normally spend at home, probably sleeping in, he was instead sitting across from Seungcheol in the café.

  
He never really knew much about coffee - usually, he just buys the instant kind that comes as a powder that you're supposed to pour hot water into. 

It's nice to try some other kinds, he thinks, as he sips on his latte.

"So how is it?" Seungcheol asks.

"It's good," Jihoon replies, "but I never really go to cafés, so I wouldn't know."

"Oh, really?" says Seungcheol, smiling. "Well, there's a first time for everything!"

"How about you?" Jihoon questions. "You go to cafés a lot, right? Is it good?"

"It's pretty normal," Seungcheol replies, before pausing to think for a moment. "Well, it's a bit cheaper than normal though, so that's pretty good."

They just talk about some small things for a while - interesting books they've read, shows they've seen, things like that - but it doesn't seem boring at all. And then, before he knew it, it was already 12pm.

"Excuse me, sirs?" comes a friendly voice, and Jihoon turns around to find himself face to face with a nervous looking waitress. "Could you please leave the café? It's opening day, so we're quite busy..."

She gives a anxious smile as she gestured over to the door, and Jihoon feels a little guilty for staying for so long after seeing how busy the café is (it's in a busy part of the city after all, and was advertised for weeks before).

"S-Sorry!" Seungcheol says, already standing up to leave. Jihoon follows his lead, only pausing once to stack up their cups. 

Seungcheol does the same, and that's when their hands brush against each other - and though normally Jihoon wouldn't give it a second thought, for some reason (god knows why?), his heart skips a beat.

He and Seungcheol part ways sooner or later, but Jihoon somehow can't get that lingering touch on his hand out of his head.

🍣

Jihoon is normally a quick sleeper. He's not like those people who manage to fall asleep within minutes (how do they even do that?) but he's also not one of those people who take hours.

Yet tonight, it's already been 30 minutes and he's still not feeling sleepy at all.

He blames it on the coffee - it must've been that, even though he drinks some every day and it's never affected his sleep schedule before.

It's not at all because he can't stop thinking about that time Seungcheol's hand brushed against his, really. Of course it isn't, since they're just friends.

They don't have to stay just friends, says the little nagging voice in his head, but that thought is already gone just as fast as it came.

He lies on his bed, caught up on his own thoughts, (which has nothing to do with Seungcheol, he swears!) up until he finds himself counting sheep that lull him to sleep.

🍣

**Seungcheol and him are sitting right next to each other, Seungcheol's head resting on his shoulder. It's a cold winter night outside, but the fireplace burning near them keeps them warm. Seungcheol is reading a book by his side, and he's just scrolling on his phone.**

**"Jihoon?" asks Seungcheol, looking up at him with bright eyes, "I love you."**

**Jihoon feels his heart skip a beat, and his face burning up, and suddenly he's a little too aware of how close they are to one another.**

**"W-What's that so suddenly?" he asks, turning away. "We're just friends, right?"**

**"But we could be more," Seungcheol says, "Don't you want us to?"**

**Seungcheol leans closer and closer towards his face, and Jihoon doesn't even pull away - he finds himself welcoming it, even though it's all so sudden. Their lips are getting closer and closer, when-**

That's when Jihoon hears his alarm ring, a loud and annoying ring that jolts up awake instantly. 

_Just a dream,_ he tells himself, though he's not quite sure if he's relieved or disappointed. 

  
He touches his lips gently, his face still a little too warm for his own liking.

 _Why was I dreaming about something like that, anyway?_  
He disregards it, because it's probably just another strange dream he had.

Probably.

It's just because they were such good friends; surely, that was it. 

  
Maybe.

  
🍣

  
**cheollie🚩:** jihooooon

  
 **cheollie🚩** : jihooooooooooon

  
 **cheollie** 🚩: are u free today 

  
**jihoon** 🍚: yeah?? what's up

  
 **cheollie** 🚩: can i come over??? i was gonna go w wonu but they're busy Σ(-᷅_-᷄๑)

  
 **cheollie** 🚩: please?? 

  
**jihoon** 🍚: yeah sure that's fine, just give me a moment

It's only when Jihoon catches himself grinning like an idiot at the thought of spending more time with Seungcheol that he starts to suspect something was up.

🍣

The moment the doorbell rings, Jihoon's already running to the door - he doesn't even give a second thought about how he went from slouching on the couch to standing by the door within seconds just because it's Seungcheol.

"Good morning!" Seungcheol greets cheerfully, though Jihoon doesn't even reply because he's a bit distracted with something else.

Seungcheol was just wearing casual clothing - a comfortable looking hoodie, and some shorts. 

Yet somehow Jihoon just couldn't take his eyes off the way the hoodie hung off Seungcheol's shoulders so perfectly, revealing just the right amount of collarbone, and- 

  
"Jihoon?" Seungcheol asks, and that snaps him out of it. "You seem kind of distracted. Did you get enough sleep?"

 _Yeah, I did, I'm just distracted because for some reason I can't stop staring at your neck in a weird way. And also I might be in love with you._ Jihoon wants to say, but of course that'd never work out, so instead he just shrugs.

"Maybe I'm just tired," he explains.

They spend the rest of the day playing games and chatting, and Jihoon only gets distracted by Seungcheol _thrice_.

  
🍣

In situations like this, Jihoon does the only thing he knows how to do - he turns to Google.

  
'am i in love with my friend', he searches, only to be greeted with a website listing signs of what love would feel like.

 _Can't stop thinking about them_ , reads Jihoon, and he mentally checks that one off.

 _You get funny feelings around them_ , he continues. He's not sure if getting butterflies when Seungcheol smiles or his heart skipping a beat when Seungcheol invites him somewhere counts, but he ticks it off anyway.

  
He goes down each and every item in the list - and finds himself checking off almost all of them.

 _Shit_ , he thinks, _Maybe I like him after all?_

He replays Seungcheol's words in the café again - "There's a first time for everything!" - before wondering why he even remembers that sentence anyway. And that's when everything finally clicks.

 _I like Seungcheol_ , he says - this time not as a question, but rather as a statement, _I like him._

_Fuck_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HN: Hoon same. I might use emojis to separate stuff cause these emoticons are a pain in the ass.  
> LM: so sorry for the late chapters recently dhdhdhdh it may become a trend... i had some things going on which might continue for a bit longer,,


	8. I Wish | Choi Seungcheol x Xu Minghao

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ps. im changing the work name because we decided to change it on wattpad before but i forgot to change it on here dhdhdh oops

The first time Minghao put a letter into Salam's locker, his heart was beating rapidly - though he knew it wasn't right to be nervous (he didn't even put his name in the letter, and therefore wasn't expecting a response at all), he couldn't help it. 

_So nerve-wrecking_ , he had sighed, glancing at the letter in his hand, _I should just turn back..._

He almost does - he almost yanked the letter back, almost shoved it back into his bag to never be seen again - but something in him tells him to just get it over with.

It slides in through the cracks of the locker perfectly.

_There's no taking it back now._

🛀🍠

"Salam? Really?" Seungcheol asks, clearly confused. "I didn't expect you to like him..."

Minghao just' shrugs and continues eating. He doesn't really know himself why he found Salam so alluring, but it wasn't like he could just tell himself to stop.

"... Well, I can't judge," sighs Seungcheol, "I like someone pretty problematic too."

This catches Minghao's attention.

"Eh?" he asks, through a mouthful of noodles, "You like someone?"

"Yeah," Seungcheol says, "Don't we all?"

Minghao doesn't press it any further - if Seungcheol were to tell him who it was, he'd do it on his own.

(He can't help but be a little curious, though.)

👉🍠 👌

"He's so nice," Minghao says one day, slumped on a sofa as he scrolls through his phone, "I don't get how someone can be so perfect,"

"I don't think he's that perfect..." mumbles Seungcheol, sitting opposite Minghao. 

"But he is!" argues Minghao, "He held the door open for someone this morning, you know. Like a gentleman!"

"He did?" asks Seungcheol, though he isn't too keen on listening to Minghao gush over Salam.

"Yeah, and he's smart, too." exclaims Minghao. "The perfect husband."

(Seungcheol doesn't say anything - he doesn't say that he'd hold the door open for Minghao anytime, or that if someone smart was Minghao's type, he'd gladly study as hard as he could.)

"Mm... What about you? What's your type?" Minghao asks, glancing over at Seungcheol.

"U-Um, I guess someone who's cute, maybe a bit taller than me, good with words..." Seungcheol answers, "Though I guess if they're nice and caring that's good enough for me."

"I see..." Minghao replies nonchalantly, "Someone nice is definitely a must... If it's someone nice, you'd probably be perfect, huh?"

Seungcheol knows Minghao meant nothing by that, but a small part of him still hopes.

😒🍠

It's almost 2am and yet Seungcheol is still up.

He's not usually one to stay up thinking nonstop, but there's a first for everything.

_I like Minghao_ , he thinks, _I like him._

Seungcheol repeats it over and over almost like a mantra, before it finally sinks in.

_I like him, but he likes Salam_. Seungcheol sighs, _What are you even supposed to do in this situation? Do I take the chance and let my heart get ripped out of my chest, or do I not and let it rot my insides?_

He knows the right thing to do is to keep quiet about it - Minghao doesn't like him back, so why bother confessing if it'll only bring him sadness and bring Minghao guilt? But he knows he'll never truly get over Minghao if he doesn't get it out somehow.

Seungcheol is faced with a dilemma, and he doesn't know what to do.

🍠 🤑

"Hey, what's Salam's favourite animal?" asks Minghao, arms propped up on his desk.

Seungcheol just glances over at Minghao, whose back is turned to him. "I don't know," he says, "Why do you ask?"

"... His birthday is coming up soon, so I was thinking of a gift..." Minghao explains, "I just don't know what kind of gift."

... _My birthday is in a week, but you haven't mentioned anything about my present_ , thinks Seungcheol, but he knows it isn't right to be jealous. There's no way Minghao would know his birthday considering, you know, he never mentioned it.

"Maybe you could get him a gift card," suggests Seungcheol, "People always like those, or maybe like a plushie or something. I saw a place selling keychains with cat asses,"

"Maybe," Minghao exclaims, perking up from his seat. "Thanks, Seungcheol! You're a life saver!"

Minghao flashes a grin at Seungcheol, and that's when he feels as though his heart might stop for real.

(Imagine that - death via a smile so nice it caused your heart to stop.)

And, maybe that was when he decided - maybe that was when he decided he needed to tell Minghao about his feelings before he wound up dead someday from Minghao and his stupid, stupid smile.

🍠 👩‍⚕️

Seungcheol writes a plan.

Yes, he knows it isn't normal to write an entire plan on how to confess to someone - from what he sees in kdramas and shoujo manga, it's usually just an in-the-moment thing where the main character blurts out their feelings and their love interest magically agrees - but he's determined to make this go perfectly.

(As perfectly as it could, anyway, considering he already knows he'll be rejected.)

He plans a time for it, too - he's already planning to come over to Minghao's place next week to play video games, and since they're alone, he might as well.

He just hopes - really, really hopes - things won't go too wrong.

🍠 💃

"Seungcheol!" greets Minghao, opening the door, "You're early,"

Because I was up at practically 6am pacing around my room nervously, Seungcheol thinks, but he knows better than to say that aloud.

"Have you eaten anything yet?" Minghao asks, "I have some leftovers if you want."

"N-No, I'm fine," Seungcheol says, silently cursing himself for the way he stumbles over his words. "I ate before."

"Oh, alright," replies Minghao, "Anyway, come in!"

Minghao leads Seungcheol over to his living room, and Seungcheol most definitely does not take the chance to look around Minghao's house.

The two of them play video games for a while, and though it's all very relaxed and fun, Seungcheol still can't stop that nagging anxiety from creeping in.

I'll tell him soon, Seungcheol thinks, noticing the time, I need to tell him before it's too late.

Seungcheol takes a deep breath, mentally prepping himself for what to come.

"H-Hey, Minghao...?" he calls out, his voice was a little too shaky than he had hoped. "I have something to tell you."

"Oh? Really?" Minghao asks, seeming a little surprised, "Me too, actually!"

"O-Oh, you can go first then!" answers Seungcheol.

"It's kind of embarrassing to say it out loud, actually..." mumbles Minghao, nervously scratching the back of his neck.

Mines even more embarrassing, though, Seungcheol says in his head.

"Well... I think I'm going to confess to Salam for real on his birthday." Minghao says with a nervous smile, and that was when everything seemed to stop. "You know, not in a letter this time,"

That was when reality finally sunk in.

🍠 🐖🐫

Seungcheol knows it isn't right for him to be upset. 

He knows that if he really did love Minghao, he should be happy for him and support him, not grieving over it like he was going through some breakup that never even happened.

He curses the tears that fall from his eyes, because he wants to be happy for Minghao, and he wants to be a good friend and support him and his love, but he simply can't.

(He really is selfish.)

He's never experienced an unrequited love before, but if this is how it feels, he wouldn't wish it on his worse enemy.

So, he decides to do the only thing he knows to do when it comes to big problems like this.

He runs away from them. 

_Cause that's the right thing to do._

🎅🍠 

Minghao never really paid much attention to his social medias, but when Seungcheol's replies start getting shorter and shorter with more time in between each one, of course he'd notice.

The once long replies he'd get instantly had started turning to short, one worded replies that'd take hours to come, and he's somehow been busy every single time Minghao asked him to hang out.

For a moment, he replays everything he's said to Seungcheol in his head, wondering if he had done anything wrong, but he can't think of anything. 

Maybe he's just busy, thinks Minghao, and that's the reason he decidedly goes with.

He doesn't even notice when Seungcheol stops talking to him entirely.

_People can come and go without making a slight imfact in your life_. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HN: Hey. Did you know that 'Salam' in Korean (according to Google Translate) means Person? I made it up cause that's how creative I am.
> 
> LM: let’s ignore how late this chapter is i have a terminal disease called laziness 


End file.
